Maria Tomasia

NEW BEDFORD - The special election to fill the Ward Three vacancy is Tuesday in New Bedford. The winner of the election will complete the term that had been awarded to Henry Bousquet before he stepped down earlier this year. Election Commissioner Maria Tomasia says even though the winner of Tuesday's election is serving for less than a year, they can get a head start on the next campaign if they w

All six potential candidates for the Ward 3 special election have made it through the next step of the process. New Bedford Election Commissioner Maria Tomasia tells WBSM News that all six made it through the certification process of validating the 50 signatures needed to officially become a candidate to fill the vacant Ward 3 seat on the City Council...

With Henry Bousquet retiring from the New Bedford City Council last Friday, the Ward 3 seat is currently vacant. City Council President Joe Lopes told WBSM's Barry Richard today that there will be a special election to fill the seat. Because the next election isn't scheduled until October, there will need to be a special election, per council rules...

Pleasingly surprised. That response from New Bedford's Election Commissioner in the early hours of day 1 of early voting. Signed into law by then Governor Deval Patrick, early elections are now mandated in all cities and towns. For the City of New Bedford, Commissioner Maria Tomasia explains City Hall is the main polling station from Monday October 24-Friday November 4...

Early voting may be extremely convenient for voters when it's rolled out in Massachusetts for the first time next week, but it's causing a number of headaches for local election commissions. The new statewide initiative begins next week, with virtually no extra funding being funneled to cities and towns to staff polling locations from October 24 through November 4...

Tuesday is National Voter Registration Day and it has become a day that officials use to urge people to register to vote before the October 19 deadline.

There is a primary election across the state on Thursday, but here on the Southcoast, very few people are talking about it.   One reason for the low level of interest is the lack of contested races on the ballot.  New Bedford Election Commission Chair Maria Tomasia tells WBSM News, State and County offices are all on the ballot, but none of the current office-holders have an opponent...

Massachusetts voters head to the polls Tuesday to vote in the presidential primary. New Bedford election officials are busy testing ballot machines and taking absentee votes. Election Commissioner Maria Tomasia says absentee voting will be available until 12pm on Monday, and no later...

The City's top election official is hoping for a good voter turnout Tuesday, but doesn't know what to expect. Election Commissioner Maria Tomasia says this election season has been decidedly slow. Tomasia says she would like to have seen more lively debates with more contentious issues...

New Bedford Election Commissioner Maria Tomasia says Tuesday's preliminary election was a record-setter, and not in a good way. "We have had low elections, but this has been the lowest election (turnout) we've ever had," lamented Tomasia...